The news was announced by the Golden Retriever’s owner and handler, Tracey Callahan Molnar, on the pooch’s Instagram page.

“Beacon was admitted yesterday to an emergency pet hospital after some symptoms he was having (stiffness, moving into labored breathing, and then fever) were not reacting to treatments (anti-inflammatory meds, cold laser therapy),” Callahan Molnar wrote.

Callahan Molnar also said that x-rays showed that Beacon has fluid in his chest cavity, which was part of the reason for the dog’s labored breathing.

However, the vet’s cause of concern was Beacon’s high fever. And that’s when the pooch was transported to an emergency pet hospital.

The therapy dog’s owner and handler reveals, “some diagnostics have been done but more to go. my understanding is that there are many potential causes therefore, many things to rule out.”

Furthermore, Callahan Molnar revealed, “he has needed to have fluid removed from his chest cavity multiple times and during a procedure yesterday to take tissue samples from some concerning lung tissue”.

“This is an incredibly difficult post to make,” Callahan Molnar said. “I’ve decided to share this now because beacon has 50k + followers and i know that can mean 50k + people sending him wishes for healing and good health.”

Among Callahan Molnar’s “biggest requests” is for people to send the four-year-old therapy dog good wishes, whether it be thoughts, prayers, virtual hugs, or in whatever form it comes.

Callahan Molnar promised Beacon’s followers to keep them posted and said, “We know that beacon provides animal assisted therapy but i hope you know that he loves people so much that the in-person interactions he had with so many of you are also meaningful to him.”

The USA Gymnastics posted about the news on their social media pages and wrote, “We’re wishing Good Boy Beacon a speedy recovery!”

Beacon is the USA Gymnastics’ first ever therapy dog. He provided much needed comfort and emotional support during the recent Olympics trial that ran from June 27 to 30.

Everyone loved him – from the athletes to the judges, Beacon was hard at work last June. You could even say that he stole the show and became a fan-favorite.

In an interview with ESPN, Callahan Molnar talked about Beacon saying, “He will turn on a dime without seeing who it is. He picks up on the stress and will pull to that person immediately.“

You can help Beacon towards his road to recovery by donating here.

The Clearwater Threshers’ newest bat dog, 10-month-old yellow Labrador Lucy May, is the sister of the team’s previous bat dog, Layla.

And the pooch made sure her debut on Friday, August 23, was as memorable and messy as possible!

Videos of Lucy May’s debut have been going viral online. As a matter of fact, the video ESPN uploaded on TikTok has almost a million likes and 8.5 million views.

During her viral debut, Lucy May was sent to retrieve a bat. But instead, ran around the field and into the opposing team’s dugout.

After an unsuccessful attempt, Lucy May was sent back to the field to retrieve another bat. However, she went back to running around the field, but this time with a surprise!

It might be her inexperience or her first-day jitters! But Lucy May, instead of retrieving the bat, suddenly answered the call of Mother Nature on the field.

Fans were supportive of whatever duty Lucy May was performing in the field as the crowd started cheering for her.

After Lucy did her business, her owner, Andrew Davis got her back over to the Threshers’ dugout. Meanwhile, the team’s promotions and game entertaining manager, Dominic Repper, cleaned up after the pooch.

Andrew Davis, Lucy May’s owner, tells WTVT-TV, “When she squatted, I definitely went into panic mode.” He continues, “I think the word my fiancée and I used was ‘mortified.'”

“We kind of had a feeling that something special would happen with her and that it would be a fun event, but I don’t think we could have imagined that it would get taken to that level,” Repper said.

After the incident, the Clearwater Threshers defended Lucy May and ensured everyone that she is “1000% keeping her job”.

“Couldn’t be mad at this sweet face if we tried,” the team wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Lucy May is only 10 months old! She jumped into training when Layla had to step down, and even though she doesn’t have it quite right, she is 1000% KEEPING her job.”

The team also said, “She’s got lots of time until our home opener in April, and we know she’ll get it just right soon”.

In the Reddit post, the 27-year-old woman explains her need for a service dog. According to her, she has severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that stemmed from a traumatic event she experienced years ago.

She then reveals that her 30-year-old sister, who was getting married, was well aware of her situation and her need for a service dog to function properly in social settings.

The Reddit user also wrote, “My dog is trained and well-behaved”.

So, when the 27-year-old woman RSVP’d for her sister’s wedding, she indicated that she will be bringing her service dog with her, for very obvious reasons.

But this is where the problem started – “A few days before the wedding, she called me, visibly stressed, and said that while she understands my need for the dog, she felt it would be disruptive and might make some guests uncomfortable,” the woman wrote.

“She asked if I could attend the ceremony and reception without him.”

The Reddit user then proceeded to explain to her sister how vital her service dog is for her well-being, especially in a very social setting such as a wedding.

She wrote, “but she insisted it would ruin her “perfect day” if guests were distracted or if photos were “ruined” by the dog being in them.”

The woman further reveals that her sister offered to have someone stay with her to help when she’s feeling anxious. However, the woman politely declined, “reiterating that my service dog was essential for my well-being.”

Respecting her sister’s wishes for her wedding, the Reddit user attended the wedding without her service dog.

But a few hours into the reception, the woman started feeling overwhelmed and anxious. So, she decided to leave earlier than everyone else and explained the situation to her sister.

The Reddit user reveals, “She was visibly upset and later sent me a long text, accusing me of making her wedding about myself and not compromising for her big day.”

The woman further reveals why she’s conflicted about the whole situation and how she handled it. She wrote, “Now, my family is divided. Some understand why I had to leave, while others think I should have stayed and “toughed it out” for my sister’s sake.”

Asking the Reddit AITA community if she’s the “a**hole” in the situation, the community defended her for how she acted and ensured that she was not, in fact, the “a**hole”.

“Sounds to me like she’s jealous of the attention you get while you have your dog with you and she didn’t want to compete with you on her wedding day,” One Reddit user wrote.

“However, you have an actual medical condition with a licensed (presumed) certified service dog…and she put herself above your medical needs. She’s TA.”

Another wrote, “If you were capable of toughing it out, you wouldn’t need a service animal. What part of service animal does she not understand? Sorry this happened to you.”

The Reddit user’s post was then marked by the community as “Not the A-hole”. What do you think?

The Arnold MO Police Department shared the news on Thursday, Aug 01. “On July 31, 2024, we lost a member of our K-9 family in a tragic accident,” they wrote in a Facebook post.

The Police Department shared that the four-year-old K9 Vader passed away from heat exhaustion.

“The K-9 handler left Vader in a running, air-conditioned patrol vehicle, which is necessary and common practice when the K-9 partner is not actively engaged in police work,” the Police Department explained.

“When Vader’s police handler returned to the vehicle, it was discovered that the air conditioning system malfunctioned.”

The Police Department shared that Vader was immediately transported to a local vet clinic where he showed signs of improvement.

He was then transported to a 24-hour clinic for further treatment. Unfortunately, after a sudden turn of events, the police dog “succumbed to his injuries”.

Following the passing of K9 Vader, the Arnold MO Police Department reveals that all their K9 vehicles are equipped with a system that is especially made to keep their police dogs in patrol cars comfortable.

They explained, “All Arnold Police Department K-9 vehicles are equipped with a system that notifies the handler by phone, activates the emergency lights and siren, sounds the vehicle horn, activates cooling fans, and rolls down the vehicle windows, if the vehicle temperature increases to a certain level.”

However, the heat alarm system failed to activate this time, resulting to K9 Vader’s death.

Currently, the Police Department is investigating the situation to determine what went wrong in their system.

Online users were left wondering and are suspicious of the real cause of the police dog’s death. One user left a comment saying, “I hope the department is truthfully forthcoming when the investigation is complete. If these K9’s are truly partners in the law enforcement community, they should receive better care especially during periods of intense heat.”

Other users pointed out the fact that the situation was completely unavoidable and that common practices need to change, regardless if a dog is a civilian’s or a police officer’s.

“What a shame an officer lost his life over something that could have COMPLETELY been avoided. If civilians get reprimanded for leaving their dog in the car on a hot day, police should be as well. Can’t justify this tragedy because of the system failing,” a user explains.

While another user said, “Common practice needs to change, take the dog with you, just like a child.”

K9 Vader is the second police dog to have pass away due to heat exhaustion in Missouri this year. Back in June, a police dog in a small western Missouri town, K9 Horus, also died in a hot car following an overnight shift.

The man, named Nigel Avery, used to be in intensive care at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital in Canterbury, England.

According to BBC, Avery “developed Guillain-Barre syndrome after a bout of Covid and he was put into a coma to help his body recover” and his family was informed to prepare for the worst.

Back then, the nursing staff at the hospital used to allow visits from Martha, Avery’s dog.

Avery used to be wheeled outside with his life-saving equipment where the staff would put dog treats in between his fingers and allow Martha to jump on his bed.

Sarah Gotke, the physiotherapist who helped Avery outside, said, “The first time Martha jumped on to his bed there were tears streaming down his face because he was so excited about seeing her.”

While Avery says he doesn’t remember Martha’s first visit to him in the hospital, each of the next three visits from Martha gave him the motivation to get better.

And today, Avery and Martha are back in the same hospital – but this time, with a purpose.

BBC reveals that both Avery and Martha have completed therapy dog training. And the pair now visits the Kent and Canterbury Hospital a few hours each week to provide others the same hope and motivation Martha provided Avery back then.

Avery said, “My aim was to come back and give something back to the place that helped me so much.”

“Martha’s visits gave me a little bit of light in moments of extreme darkness and I hope we can offer the same to other people,” he adds.

Avery said when he met stroke patients while recovering in the neurorehabilitation unit, he got inspired to begin therapy dog training with his pooch.

Avery tells the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, “When I came home I saw some videos of stroke survivors in hospital who were visited by a therapy dog and it was clear the impact it had on them, so I thought it was something we could do.”

Gotke said, “Martha has seen a patient who is dog mad and when I came in, she was crying and now she is smiling.”

“She said that she has had a paw on her bed and a wet nose on her hand and it’s made a huge difference,” she continued.

Avery said that he and Martha will continue to visit the hospital as long as the good girl continues to enjoy it.

And for International Assistance Dog Week, the local charity is asking the public for donations to continue helping their clients.

Global News reports that PADS have placed 36 dogs last year. However, there are still 536 people on their waitlist waiting for their own assistance dog.

The charity says that the waitlist, along with the rising cost, is challenging the charity and their ability to match dogs with their clients.

According to Chantel Bender with PADS, dog food has increased 45% while vet bills have reached a 50% increase, making it difficult for the charity to fully cover expenses.

Bender tells Global News, “We do our best to place them. But if something doesn’t change, if we don’t receive more donations, people could be waiting up to eight years for their service dog.”

“Three years is too long. Quite frankly, one year is too long,” Bender honestly said regarding the waiting time to place an assistance dog with a client.

“So, it’d be really nice to be able to meet that need at the time people apply and be able to work them through the process much, much quicker,” she said.

Bender reveals, “Last year we placed 36 dogs. And so, 140 people is still two to three years worth of placement.”

She reveals that PADS provide assistance dogs that are placed in four different categories but the most in demand are service dogs, PTSD dogs, and hearing dogs.

When asked what it’ll take to make the waitlist shorter, Bender tells Global News that it needs more trainers and breeders, but most importantly funding.

On their website, PADS share that you can change twice as many lives when you donate to them. They reveal, “We’re excited to share that our dear friend, advanced dog sitter, and volunteer extraordinaire, George Prevost, has generously agreed to come alongside our campaign and match every donation made to this campaign up to a total of $20K.”

You can donate before August 31 and your gift will be doubled, in honor of International Assistance Dog Week.

Donate to PADS today to help them place as many assistance dogs as they can here.

Layla is a white Labrador Retriever and has been retrieving baseball bats for the Clearwater Threshers for six years.

“She has just kind of been in my right pocket for 13 years,” Layla’s dad, Andrew Davis, tells FOX 13.

Davis adopted Layla 13 years ago. And he never imagined the things her pooch would’ve accomplished in all those years.

Back in 2018, Layla became an internet sensation after a video of her retrieving a can of beer from the refrigerator went viral.

And who would’ve thought that that viral video would actually be Layla’s ticket to becoming a baseball bat dog?

“Once it took off there was no stopping it,” Davis said. “I never would’ve expected to have a famous dog.”

WMNF Radio reveals that after the video went viral, Davis reached out to Dominic Repper, Threshers manager of promotions and game entertainment, and showed him the video.

“When we first contacted the Threshers, Layla didn’t even know what a baseball bat was,” Davis tells WMNF Radio.

So, Davis took Layla to local baseball fields and taught her how to pick up a bat and bring it to the dugout.

Layla, who used to train alongside athletes at Webber International University when Davis was a student at the school, mastered the art of retrieving baseball bats and got signed to the Clearwater Threshers.

However, after being on the job for six years, Davis noticed that Layla was starting to slow down during games.

Davis told FOX 13, “I told them (the Threshers), ‘I don’t know if Layla is going to be up to the challenge next year.'”

Repper and the whole team wanted to send Layla for one final trip to home plate during the Friday game to celebrate her retirement. They even prepared a cake for the bat dog after she retrieved her final bat.

And like the su-PAW-star that Layla is, the video of her retrieving her final bat went viral – a full circle moment for the 13-year-old good girl!

“To look back on it and have that last day, that last bat, that’s what made it special,” Davis said.

Now that Layla gets to enjoy her well-deserved retirement, Davis reveals that he will keep bringing Layla to Threshers games as a fan.

On June 30, Sunday, the Mooresville Youth Council (MYC) announced Reya, a 12-year-old Pit Bull, as the town’s official Dog Mayor.

Reya’s term officially began on June 30 and will last for one year. And according to the Mooresville Youth Council, the Dog Mayor will attend different kinds of events and activities around town.

The “other Mayor” Chris Carney even had the pleasure of meeting the newly tenured Dog Mayor during a “Town Hall Takover”.

Carney said that Reya is a wonderful addition to the town. “The voters got it right and she’ll do a great job! I’m excited to work with her over the next year,” Carney tells WCNC News.

“Reya is a 12-year-old Pit Bull, who has overcome various medical struggles during that time. She LOVES people & can often be found hanging out in Downtown,” MYC wrote in a Facebook post.

Reya’s constituents can be certain that she’ll do her job as Dog Mayor, because she is one tough lady!

Ashley Potts, Reya’s owner, reveals that Reya has undergone two knee surgeries, skin disease, and the removal of a dew claw due to a bone infection.

Potts also reveals that Reya’s election as the new Dog Mayor came at the right time for their family.

“We lost Reya’s fur brother, Rufio, in March due to bladder cancer,” Potts reveals. “We’re thankful for the Mooresville Youth Council for this yearly tradition. It came at the perfect time for our little family!”

The town of Mooresville has been holding the Dog Mayor contest since 2021. And Reya is the fourth Dog Mayor of Mooresville. The previous Dog Mayors of the town were Daisy, Buttercup and Elmer.

Meet Beacon – the four-year-old Golden Retriever and the USA Gymnastics first ever therapy dog. Beacon, together with his handler Tracey Callahan Molnar, attended the Olympics trial that ran from June 27 to 30.

Beacon takes his job very seriously. He even attended the Olympics trial wearing his very own staff ID with the official title, “Goodest Boy”.

With the 2024 Paris Olympics fast approaching, athletes can experience heightened stress and anxiety.

So, while gymnasts where competing for a spot on Team USA for the upcoming Paris Olympics, Beacon was providing much needed comfort and calm to the athletes, their coaches, and even the judges!

Beacon was as busy as the athletes at the US Olympic Gymnastic Trials. Callahan Molnar told ESPN, “He will turn on a dime without seeing who it is. He picks up on the stress and will pull to that person immediately.”

And while Beacon does a fantastic job at providing emotional support to the athletes, his handler also highlights how tiring it was for the pooch to act as “a sort of emotional sponge.”

Callahan Molnar said, “They absorb the stress of the people they’re relieving the stress off of. So even though he might be lying still for two hours, he’s wiped out afterwards.”

Beacon’s hard work didn’t go unnoticed, though. As a matter of fact, he stole the show and everyone loved him!

2020 Olympic Gold Medalist Suni Lee even posted a series of photos from day 1 of the trials on Instagram and even captioned it with, “thank god for beacon”.

“One of the gymnasts suggested, [Beacon] should be the CHO,” Callahan Molnar also NEXSTAR. “That would be the Chief Happiness Officer.”

ESPN reports Beacon has been with Callahan Molnar since he was a puppy. Furthermore, the “Goodest Boy” was Callahan Molnar’s service dog before she had him certified as a therapy dog through Pet Partners.

In a emotional message on Beacon’s official Instagram page, Callahan Molnar wrote, “i am proud that USA Gymnastics has brought pet therapy to the sport, and not just brought it—but truly embraced and supported it.“

According to the Associated Press, the idea of having therapy dogs during major events came from Caroline Hunt, the rhythmic gymnastics vice president, who advocated for it for several years, and Li Li Leung, president and CEO of USA Gymnastics.

In this article, we’ll talk about what therapy dogs are and the positive impact they have on our overall health.

Thanks to their loving and friendly disposition, they are able to provide comfort to those who face mental health challenges such as anxiety, dementia, high blood pressure, and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Characteristics Of A Good Therapy Dog

While there are no age or breed restrictions to become a therapy dog, not every dog is cut out for the job. But what makes a good therapy dog? There are several important characteristics to consider, and they’re the following:

1. A calm, friendly, and gentle temperament: A good therapy dog should naturally be gentle, calm, patient, and friendly. They should be willing, comfortable, and patient when interacting with people of all ages and backgrounds, from little children, to old people, to those experiencing emotional distress.
2. Well-socialized: Along with their temperament, a good therapy dog should be well-socialized, starting from a young age. This way, they can easily adapt to any new environment, can be intuitive, and quickly detect changes in someone’s behavior or surroundings.
3. Can be easily trained and is obedient: A good therapy dog should be easily trained and should be obedient at all times. They should be able to follow basic commands such as “sit”, “stay”, “come”, “leave it” to more complex commands needed for therapy work.
4. Good behavior in public settings: Being well-behaved in a public setting is important for a therapy dog. While they should always be open to interacting with strangers, they should not jump at or paw at people. And they should also be able to walk on a leash without pulling.
5. Healthy and well-groomed: A good therapy dog should be in good physical health, is clean, and well-groomed. Having up-to-date vaccinations and regular grooming sessions will ensure that the dog is always ready and presentable during therapy visits.

Breeds That Make Good Therapy Dogs

As mentioned above, there are no age and breed restrictions for therapy dogs as long as they have the right personality for it. However, these 14 breeds have been named by the US Service Animals to have most of the qualities people look for in a therapy dog:

• Labrador Retriever
• Golden Retriever
• Poodle
• Newfoundland
• Border Collie
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
• Bichon Frise
• Yorkshire Terrier
• Corgi
• Papillon
• Pug
• Greyhound
• Beagle
• Dachshund

What these dog breeds have in common is the temperament to handle therapy work. They are smart, therefore easy to train, friendly, loving, calm, and well-mannered.

Therapy Dogs VS Service Dogs VS Emotional Support Dogs: The Difference

Dogs are a man’s best friend for a LOT of reasons. They have helped us make our lives a lot easier by taking up different roles and jobs.

And service dogs, therapy dogs, and emotional support dogs all fulfill important roles. However, their job descriptions are not the same. Here, we’ll discuss each category so you’ll see the difference between them.

Therapy Dogs

Therapy dogs are trained to provide emotional support to many different people in various settings such as schools, hospitals, and nursing homes. And their handler (usually their owner) volunteer in different places where people work in stressful situations.

Unlike service and emotional support dogs, they render their services to a lot of people instead of one person only. Therapy dogs are also trained to be friendly, calm, and patient. They need to be able to be comfortable in new environments and be able to interact with a wide variety of people while working.

Furthermore, while therapy dogs do amazing work for humans, they do not have the same legal rights as service dogs.

Service Dogs

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) describes service dogs as trained dogs who perform tasks directly related to a person’s disability.

Since service dogs perform specific tasks to help their owners, they are allowed in public places that do not usually allow pets like restaurants, hospitals, shops, hotels, etc.

And unlike therapy dogs, they should not be pet by people in public while they’re working with their owner because that can distract them from their job.

A few examples of tasks performed by service dogs include:

• Reminding and/or alerting their owner with depression to take their medication.
• Retrieving objects or opening doors for their owner that is wheelchair-bound.
• Alerting their owner who has PTSD of an oncoming panic attack.
• Detecting the onset of a seizure and helping their owner who has epilepsy stay safe during the seizure.
• Alerting their owner to any heart rate and/or blood pressure changes and responding accordingly.

Emotional Support Dogs

Emotional support dogs provide emotional support to a specific person suffering from any mental or emotional disability such as depression or anxiety.

These dogs are not trained to do any specific task, unlike service dogs that are, for example, trained to detect and alert anxiety attacks. However, the mere presence of emotional support dogs is considered essential to the overall well-being of their owner.

Unlike service dogs, emotional support dogs only have limited legal rights. While they do not have unlimited access to public spaces, they may be allowed to live with their owner in housing that usually do not allow pets, as per the Fair Housing Act.

Settings Where Therapy Dogs Work

Therapy dogs help people cope with stress and other emotional and mental challenges to improve their well-being. And they work wherever their support is needed. And some of the most common settings where these dogs work include:

1. Healthcare and Medical Facilities

The most common place for therapy dogs are healthcare and medical facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes and hospices.

Therapy dogs visit these places to interact with their patients, families, and staff members. They provide emotional support to patients to help them cope with their current medical situation, help reduce anxiety and stress before procedures, and bring happiness and love to long-term patients.

In nursing homes, therapy dogs provide much needed comfort and companionship to those who feel lonely and isolated.

2. Airports

Having therapy dogs at airports started after the tragic events of 9/11. An airport chaplain at the San Jose International Airport in California brought her dog to the airport to help soothe stressed and anxious passengers.

And in recent years, the world has seen a rise in programs that introduce therapy dogs to weary travelers in airports. For example, Istanbul Airport has started providing therapy dogs to help calm down passengers and has received positive feedback from them.

3. Schools and Universities

It is no secret that students get stressed at schools. That’s why the presence of therapy dogs at schools and universities has been a common occurrence.

Thanks to their presence and support, therapy dogs are proven to help create a learning environment that increases the students’ enthusiasm and motivation to attend school and engage in activities.

Furthermore, through various reading programs, they are able to assist kids with speech difficulties, helping them improve the children’s communication skills.

4. Courthouses

If you’ve been inside a courtroom, you’ll know how tense the atmosphere can be. And that’s why courthouses also have therapy dogs to help ease that tension.

Therapy dogs in courtrooms help victims and witnesses, especially children and teenagers, ease their fear and nervousness of speaking in front of a judge or jury. And since dogs are non-judgmental, they also serve as a source of comfort and safety.

5. Workplaces

Therapy dogs in workplaces help employees deal with stressful situations a lot better. They can lift the employees’ moods, improve happiness, and reduce stress.

And their presence allows employees to be a lot more productive, boosts morale, encourages team work, and promotes a healthier workplace environment.

6. After Tragedies and Traumatic Events

Therapy dogs also assist people after tragedies and traumatic events such as natural disasters and school shootings. They provide comfort, love, and emotional support to survivors, first responders, and even relief workers.

They can help ease the pain of losing your loved on, reduce trauma symptoms, and provide a sense of safety and normalcy amid all the chaos, helping people heal.

Benefits Of Therapy Dogs

Therapy dogs provide a lot of health benefits for us, hoomans across different age groups and in a wide variety of settings.

Mental Health Benefits

• Provides Emotional Support: With their calm, friendly, and gentle temperament, these dogs are able to provide emotional support to those who feel depressed, anxious, and sad.
• Reduces Stress Levels: In addition to providing emotional support, research has proven that petting a therapy dog can actually decrease our stress hormone (cortisol) levels.
• Eases Loneliness: Dogs are non-judgmental companions, so their companionship alone makes people, especially those away from loved ones, feel safe, comfortable, and less physically alone.
• Helps Promote A Positive Outlook: Having a positive outlook in life can greatly improve not only our mental health but also our overall well-being. And these dogs help elevate people’s mood, making them happier, more content, optimistic, all while promoting a sense of trust.
• Increases Social Interactions: Therapy dogs provide more than just companionship. But interacting with one also helps shy or socially anxious people start conversations with others and build human-to-human friendships.

Physical Health Benefits

• Increases Physical Activity: Therapy dogs, especially those in nursing homes, help elders increase their movement by participating in dog walking, an activity that combines physical activity with emotional support.
• Accelerates Recovery Period: The presence of therapy dogs, especially in healthcare and medical facilities, have kept patients motivated, helping them reach their health goals.
• Helps Relieve Pain: Research shows that therapy dog visits help triggers the release of the love hormone (oxytocin) which promotes relaxation and serves as a natural pain reliever.
• Reduces Blood Pressure: The calming and comforting presence of these dogs have been proven to lower blood pressure. Research shows that simply talking to or petting dogs can do this.
• Helps Regulate The Cardiovascular System: Interactions with therapy dogs also help regulate a person’s cardiovascular system. The benefits include improved heart rate, reduced risk of heart disease, and enhanced blood circulation.

Final Thoughts

Therapy dogs play a very important role in helping improve not only our mental health, but our overall well-being. And they help improve the lives of so many people from different backgrounds and settings.

Furthermore, their ability to provide emotional support makes them invaluable assets that need to be acknowledge and appreciated, especially during the month of Mental Health Awareness.

In a press release, TSA said Messi was clearly born to be a TSA canine “because he enjoys watching airplanes and playing in the grass at nearby Gravelly Point”.

Messi is the longest-serving passenger screening canine in Washington, D.C., And after years of diligent service, Messi’s handler, Peter, along with several canine handlers and guests, thought the pooch deserved a surprise party for the canine’s retirement.

For a TSA explosives detection canine who “enjoys playing with a tennis ball after a busy day sniffing for any traces of explosives at the airport”, it was only right to surprise Messi by showering him with tennis balls!

Messi and Peter searched a room where a training aid was concealed. And when Messi alerts on his last bag, that’s when canine handlers showered the pooch with his favorite balls, signaling the beginning of his retirement.

And to say Messi was thrilled would be an understatement. The pooch was positively bamboozled with the amount of tennis balls he was showered with.

With Messi’s retirement, TSA wrote, “Now he doesn’t have to wait to play with his favorite toy.”

Furthermore, Peter also removed Messi’s “Do Not Pet” patch from his harness, marking the pooch’s official retirement and signaling his transition from being a TSA canine to a regular pet.

Luckily for Messi, “There was no shortage of guests who were eager to pet the newly retired dog.”

The TSA also revealed that Peter is officially adopting Messi as his dog. And he is shifting from being a canine handler to a canine trainer.

Messi’s rise to fame started last year, when he was featured as the dog of the month for February in the TSA’s annual canine calendar.

Congratulations, Messi! We hope retirement treats you well!

Roger, the 8-year-old pooch, was originally trained to be a drug-sniffing police dog. According to the Central News Agency (CNA), the pooch underwent training at the Customs Administration’s Detector Dog Breeding & Training Center in Taichung.

However, Roger failed to make the final cut because he was too playful and had a hard time following the training’s “one command, one action” rule.

The captain of the rescue dog unit of the Kaohsiung Fire Department, Chen Chih-san, told reporters, “I’m not saying he was not good or that he didn’t get along with others. But the requirement for narcotic detection dogs is that they can’t be too restless and independent.”

“But (these attributes) are what we want in rescue dogs,” Chih-san continued.

So, when one door closes, another one opens. And because of Roger’s nature, he became a perfect search-and-rescue dog.

Now, Roger is a ranking officer working with the Kaohsiung Fire Bureau for the past five years.

PEOPLE reports that in Roger’s five-year career as a search-and-rescue dog, the pooch has helped out in a total of seven missions.

In his latest mission, which was to help find victims from Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in 25 years, the pooch was able to locate the body of the earthquake’s 13th victim and his 3rd body — a 21-year-old woman found in a rubble in Taroko, National Park.

But that’s not the only mission Roger has done successfully. The pooch is also providing some much needed relief to people in Taiwan and is stealing their hearts for his playful behavior.

Thanks to news coverage, Roger was able to show just how playful and naughty he is. He was seen trying to munch on a reporter’s microphone and tearing apart an ice cream toy that the mayor of Kaohsiung gave him.

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-Mai told ABC Australia that Roger was still full of energy after the search and rescue.

Roger, along with his fellow rescue dogs, were given plenty of toys and snacks for their hard work.

“After receiving the ice cream toy, he didn’t mind messing up his appearance while enthusiastically chewing on it, bringing smiles to everyone despite their exhaustion,” the mayor said.